Furious mothers boycott Flora after it pulls its adverts from Mumsnet in ‘transphobia’ row
‘The company is bowing to an extremist view’
THE makers of Flora face a furious backlash after the company stopped advertising on Mumsnet because campaigners claimed the parenting website was transphobic.
Mothers are now boycotting the firm that owns the margarine brand, which had responded to complaints by a ‘handful’ of transgender activists.
Firmly denying that they are transphobic, the founders of Mumsnet insist that they are simply defending the right to free speech.
Mumsnet was set up to allow parents to share tips or stories and boasts ten million users. Its online discussion board has been a platform for transgender issues, particularly relating to the growing number of children now declaring a wish to change sex. Last night, dozens of women vowed to stop buying Flora or any other product sold by the company, Upfield, which also sells I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!
Deborah Barker commented on Twitter: ‘I am wholly committed to free speech and mothers/women freedom to discuss issues which pertain to them and have decided to boycott @Flora. I was a pretty loyal customer with two teenage boys.’
Another angry Mumsnet user declared: ‘Well it’s no great loss to Flora is it? I mean women are only responsible for the majority of the household budgeting/shopping etc.’
Upfield’s decision was announced on Friday after campaigners for transgender rights said they would stop buying Flora while it was linked to the parenting website.
Last night, Mumsnet founder Justine Roberts accused the brand of bowing to pressure from ‘a handful of activists on Twitter’.